Nebraskaland

18 Nebraskaland • November 2025 IN THE FIELD Danish-style meatballs with gravy and boiled potatoes. JENNY NGUYEN WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley DANISH VENISON MEATBALLS Unlike Swedish meatballs, Danish meatballs — or frikadeller — are football-shaped. Serve them hot with gravy, boiled potatoes and pickled cabbage or cucumbers. Enjoy them cold sliced and served on top of rye bread with pickles. This recipe was inspired by my dear friends Nathan and Amy Kramer of Benson who have introduced me to the customs and comforts of Danish food — and aquavit. My life has been richer since. Servings: 6-8 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: • 1 lb. ground venison • 1 lb. fatty ground pork • 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided • 1 medium onion, minced • 2 small shallots, minced • 2 cloves of garlic, minced • ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs • ½ cup whole milk • 2 tsp. kosher salt • ½ tsp. freshly cracked pepper • ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg • 2 eggs • 3 tbsp. flour Gravy • 2 tbsp. butter • 3 tbsp. flour • 1½ cups venison or beef stock, heated • Salt and pepper, to taste • Splash of heavy cream 1. Over medium heat, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a pan. Sweat minced onion and shallot, with a pinch of salt, for 5-7 minutes, or until softened and translucent. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Do not brown. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and cool completely. Meanwhile, soak panko breadcrumbs with milk in a small bowl. 2. Into the mixing bowl with the cooled onion, add ground venison, pork, soaked breadcrumbs, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon cracked pepper, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, eggs and 3 tablespoons of flour. Knead with your hands until you get a well-combined paste. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. 3. Shape meat mixture into quenelles using two large spoons or use your hands to make football- shaped dumplings. Place them onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper while you work. 4. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear frikadeller until well browned on all sides. Add more oil as needed. Place browned meat into a baking dish, cover with foil and place in the oven to cook through for another 10 minutes or so. You're looking for an internal temperature of at least 155 degrees Fahrenheit. 5. While the meat is in the oven, make the gravy: Heat the venison or beef stock. In the same pan you cooked the frikadeller, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat. Next, add 3 tablespoons of flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Then gradually whisk in hot stock, allowing the stock to reabsorb and thicken with each addition. Whisk until there are no more lumps. Add a splash of heavy cream and season to taste. Add more stock as needed.

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